“Integrity and Ringworm were always exploring metal influences, but Ascension really took the metal ball and ran with it.”
-Dwid Hellion, Integrity
In 1996 I put out Ascension’s first record, The Years Of Fire as a 10″ and MCD as we called it in those days, which basically just meant it was a CD but not a full album. That was followed up 2 years later by their full album Abomination released on LP and CD. I’ve written about releasing both of these records over on the Toybox Instagram page (YOF / ABOM) if you want backstory but the most important piece of the story for the moment is that both of these incredible records were only released physically as there was no digital option then, and have both been out of print and largely unavailable for the last two decades.
TBX016 The Years of Fire 
TBX019 Abomination
If you know these records, you know that is a tragedy, and with the relaunch of the label it made sense to rectify that immediately. Or almost immediately, as we thought a 2020 remaster was in order. Over the past few weeks Big Metal Dave has been fine tuning both of these releases, and they now sound better than ever. Officially today, for the first time ever, the band and I are excited to offer them digitally.
TBX016: Ascension The Years of Fire (2020 BMD Remaster)
Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | SoundCloud | Other streaming services coming soon
TBX019: Ascension Abomination (2020 BMD Remaster)
Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | SoundCloud | Other streaming services coming soon
“[Abomination] sounds like if Integrity wrote Gomorrahs Season Ends”
– Matt Fletcher, Shai Hulud
Both of these releases are deeply ingrained in my memory as pivotal albums from the era. I am glad they will finally be seeing the digital light of day so a new generation can hear these absolute beasts.
Toybox Records, are these going to be available upon vinyl format,as the cd version of “Abomination” kicks like a mule to the skull after a three day binge drinking episode… I used to have “the years of fire” ten inch but this fucker I was living as a roomate with, stole it from my record collection and I have been hoping & waiting to get another on in my collection… THANKS for re-releasing these Beasts on the unsuspecting public…!!!
\m/
Jamie Coyle Jr.
and I have been hoping & waiting to get another on in my collection…*one* NOT “on.”
Will there be a vinyl reissue of the new Ascension remasters?
I sure hope so.
Pat O’Connor
Reissuing these records is something we’ve been talking about for a while and getting them remastered and the digital out there has been step number one. We’re definitely planning to continue down this path, and it certainly helps to see how many people are interested. Spread the word!